Build Better High-Trust Organizations with Female Leadership

Women leaders champion building high-trust organizations as a new generation of workers prioritize their professional well-being and satisfaction.

Businesses not only see better financial performance but also more inclusive, open, and supportive workplace cultures as more women leaders step up the corporate ladder.

Women leaders do more than men at their level to support employee well-being and foster inclusive, high-trust cultures, a Women in the Workplace 2025 report by McKinsey and LeanIn.Org found.

A February 2025 study by Humanities and Social Sciences Communications also found that gender-diverse workforces leads to higher levels of employee commitment and engagement.

"The trust can actually push performance up,” said Tina Sioson, former vice president of human resources at Globe Telecom, in a February 4 interview. “If the performance of a person or of an organization is better, it has a ripple effect on the results of the organization."

Definition

A high-trust organization is a workplace where employees feel heard and psychologically safe. In these safe spaces, employees can express themselves without fear of judgement or potential penalty.

Transparency is valued in the workplace of a high-trust organization. People are able to access information and see accountability.

Employee wellbeing also matters in such an organization. When leaders listen to their employees' thoughts, then convert the feedback into wellness programs and extensive policies, trust is built between employees and the organization.

Research presented at the 2024 World Health Summit in Berlin suggests that institutions led by women are perceived by both employees and the public as more "representative" and therefore more trustworthy.

One major task executives have when building trust between themselves and their employees is empowering those they lead and manage, according to Sioson.

“Empowerment only happens when a leader takes the risk in trusting people,” she said.

Sioson, who now serves as the President of the Philippine chapter of International Coaching Federation, believes that employees also play an important role.

She said that employees have to also work to earn that same trust leaders should risk in giving.

“Culturally, how do we earn that? We build relationships with one another and establish a safe space,” she added.